Numbers aren’t everything, but no wise man would turn his back on them, either. That’s why SaturdayDownSouth.com is putting them in front of you.

Look, no one’s saying Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews is better than Alabama’s Amari Cooper—but Matthews had the best 2012 numbers of any receiver in the SEC. Matthews didn’t just happen upon 94 catches last season. He’s good, as are the other players with the best numbers in the conference—numbers better, even, than Johnny Manziel's.

Here’s a look at the SEC’s most productive returners, broken down by position and stats from CFBStats.com